Lily Afshar, professor of music and head of the guitar program at The University of Memphis, returned to Memphis last week after performing a series of concerts in Tehran, Iran.
Afshar, who was born in Iran, was invited by the Iranian Cultural Ministry to play three guitar concerts in the major concert hall in Tehran.
Afshar, who has won numerous awards internationally for her guitar playing, said she'd been looking forward to performing in Iran for a long time. In the past, Afshar said, she received fan mail from her home country asking her to come and perform.
This month, she finally got her chance. Afshar spent 18 days in Iran this month performing for people who hold her in very high esteem.
"There was so much enthusiasm for my concerts that they asked me to play an extra one, so I ended up playing four," Afshar said. "I heard that people were crying outside and fighting for tickets because the concerts were all sold out. They even wanted me to perform a fifth, but I had to decline because I was so tired. I was given a standing ovation for every concert."
"It was very special for me to play in Iran because I left 23 years ago and have not been back since," she said. "Because of the enthusiasm and being approved and accepted, I felt so special. It was a very special experience for me."
Afshar's concerts were a new experience for the people of Iran, she said. Their government puts numerous restrictions on music. However, according to Afshar, this only made the audience more interested and respectful.
"People are very artistically oriented over there," she said. "They have not experienced a concert like mine since their revolution in 1978. They are very open and eager to learn. It was an incredible reception that I received. You could have heard a pin drop, they were so quiet during the concerts. I knew they were really listening, and that is very important."
Afshar said she also devoted time in Iran to teaching young guitarists and said she was impressed with their enthusiasm.
"There are certain things that they don't have access to over there that we have access to here," she said. "For example, they don't have access to music. Here we can call and order any music that we want from anywhere in the (U.S.) overnight. Over there, they have a lot of restrictions. Still, I was impressed with their knowledge and their abilities. Overall, I think they did very well."
Afshar was also able to visit with family and relive old memories in her hometown of Tehran.
"When I left Iran, it was always my dream to become a famous international guitarist," she said. "I came to America to study and go to college. I received my degree in Boston and my doctorate in Florida. I was very fortunate to be able to fulfill my dream."
Afshar says she appreciates the extravagances and conveniences she has found in America and tells others not to take them for granted.
"Appreciate what you have here, because in many countries, they don't have the luxuries and convenience," she advised. "This is a land of convenience. Whatever you want you can get. People in other places really struggle for things they want. So appreciate what you have."
Afshar, who has taught at The U of M since 1989, received this year's Board of Visitors Eminent Faculty Award at The University of Memphis. She has also won numerous awards from all around the world, including the 2000 Orville H. Gibson Award for best female classical guitarist, three premiere guitarist awards from the Memphis chapter of the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and a top prize in the Guitar Foundation of America Competition.
